Mr. American

Written by George MacDonald Fraser

Narrated by David Case

No one knew who Mark Franklin was when he disembarked at Liverpool in 1909 with a copy of Shakespeare's works, an old Mexican charro saddle and two Remingtons in his battered luggage. He was just another American, tall and softly-spoken. Even General Flashman never guessed the whole truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
• Release date: Jan 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9780307734938

George MacDonald Fraser

The author of the famous ‘Flashman Papers’ and the ‘Private McAuslan’ stories, George MacDonald Fraser has worked on newspapers in Britain and Canada. In addition to his novels he has also written numeous films, most notably ‘The Three Musketeers’, ‘The Four Musketeers’, and the James Bond film, ‘Octopussy’. George Macdonald Fraser died in January 2008 at the age of 82.

Reviews for Mr. American

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not nearly as much fun as the Flashman books. Mr. Fraser doesn't shine in this story about love betrayed.

[ann_v_roberts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read this novel three times and love it more every time. The way it begins and ends, with Mr American's life and adventures in between, is so well done. MacDonald's wit, teasing humour, and sheer style of writing is so very, very good.

[mrsplum_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I so thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this book that I couldn't put it down. From the halfway point though, I found the plot slower and unsatisfying in light of this novel's early promise. Frazer does develop some fantastic opportunities for conflict and crisis around the central character, Mark Franklin, any one of which might have provided tension and excitement enough to compel a reader throughout the story. However he also created, in Mark Franklin, a character so sensible and self-contained as to ensure that every crisis is tackled head-on with quick, calm efficiency. In short, the key events fail to grip as they might have done. That said, Mr American is still well worth reading for Frazer's impecable depiction of Edwardian England and its people, and a cameo appearance by an aged Flashman (in his nineties) is a real treat.

[mrbookface · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wild West rough diamond comes to bucolic Britain to set himself up in a country house. Straight fiction, unlike many of MacDonald Fraser's other titles. Enjoyable enough but the characters seem underwritten. Leaves you, in many ways, with the same feeling you get when you watch the Cohen Brother's "The Man Who Wasn't There" - that you weren't really there yourself.

[karatelpek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Worth reading if you are Flashman fan, if only for the fun appearances by 80-90 year-old Sir Harry. It's well written and the first half is really engaging, but as noted by many others here, the second half is a bit of letdown. Reads more like a William Boyd novel than typical Fraser one.